Golf putting aid



July 25, 1967 H. GEVERTZ GOLF PUTTING AID Filed Jan. 29, 1965 INVENTOR.

HAROLD GEVERTZ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,332,688 GOLF PUTTING AID Harold Gevertz, 488 San Mateo Ave., San Bruno, Calif. 94066 Filed Jan. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 429,029 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-186) This invention relates to golf putting aids and particularly to a device which may be employed on a flat, level supporting surface such as lawn, flooring, or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which may be employed by a golfer to improve his putting stroke without the need for practice on a conventional putting green.

The invention enables a putter to perfect his putting stroke through practice with the device whereby the golfor is visually informed of the correct positioning of the putter blade in reference to the ball and projected path of travel thereof toward the hole. The invention also teaches a putter the correct straight line pattern of putter movement and distance of back stroke and follow-through so that these techniques may become uniform and consistent when on the putting green.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an uncomplicated putting aid which is conveniently portable and which may be utilized on any substantially flat level supporting surface convenient to the student.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reference to the specification and drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is atop plan view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is the sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

The essential element of the invention comprises an elongate strip of flexible sheet material such as rubberized fabric, rubber, or other suitable material designated gen erally at 2. The element 2 will be generally referred to as the instruction member. Member 2 is rectangular in shape and the top face thereof is provided with straight spaced parallel lines 3 and 4 spaced upwardly from opposite side edges of the member and extending substantially from end to thereof to define a track portion indicated generally at 5 having a width equal to the diameter of a standard golf hole which is normally 4% inches. Disposed approximately midway between the ends of the member and centered between the parallel lines 3 and 4 is provided a dimple or slight depression 6 to receive a golf ball 7. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the track defining lines 3 and 4 comprise upwardly projecting linear ribs or walls formed of the same material as the mem ber 2.

A putter blade reference marker 8 is provided behind the dimple 6 in the form of a heavy line disposed normal to track lines 3 and 4 to assist the putter in positioning the putter blade 9 so that the striking face of the club is precisely located in reference to the 'ball and projected path of travel thereof as indicated by arrows 12. Additional blade markers 13 and 14 are provided adjacent the marker 8 in order to help orient the putter blade so that it is locatable for proper ball impact. The markers 13 and 14 are spaced apart the distance of a conventional putter "ice blade and spaced inwardly equidistantly from track lines 3 and 4 so that the center of the blade is in coaxial alignment with the longitudinal center line of the track as indi cated by arrow 12.

Additional putter blade markers 15 and 16 may be provided to assist in the proper positioning of the blade in supplement to marker 8.

Marginal strips 22 and 23 are defined between opposite edges of the instructional member and the track lines 3 and 4. Disposed within the noted marginal Strips 22 and 23 are measurement indicia 24 and 25 which are preferably noted in inches and arranged to measure distance from the ball dimple toward opposite ends of the instructional member. The measurement indicia are preferably in inches and indicia 24 indicate the distance of the putters back stroke while indicia 25 show the distance of followthrough.

In operation the instructional member 2 is placed upon a flat supporting surface such as a carpeted floor with the top face thereof upwardly exposed. It is noted that the bottom surface of the member 2 may be formed with a non-skid surfacing indicated at 26 so that the member can be conveniently positioned on a smooth supporting surface.

The ball is positioned on the dimple portion 6 and the putter then positions the putter blade behind the ball with the front striking face of the blade 9 in parallel registry with the blade marker 8 and marks 15 and 16. The heel and toe of the blade 9 are positioned in reference to blade markers 13 and 14 so that the blade is in the exact proper position for striking the ball in the direction of projected travel as indicated by arrow 12 which in turn is the lon gitudinal center line of track 5.

The putter addresses the ball with the putter blade and, keeping the head down and eyes on the ball positioned on the dimple 6, moves the blade 'backwardly away from the ball in a straight line defined by track lines 3 and 4. At the end of the back stroke the blade is moved forwardly in a straight line to strike the ball. The putter follows through in the same straight line defined by the track lines or walls 3 and 4 and by practice the straight line guidance of blade imparted to ball becomes an acquired technique. The inch measurements 24 and 25 show the golfer his normal and expected distance of back swing and follow through so that when on the putting green he can effectively plot a duplication of the shot practiced with the subject matter of this invention.

If the putter blade strays from desired straight line path it may contact a track defining wall and thus apprise the putter of the fact.

While the invention has been described in more or less specific detail by way of illustration and example various changes in structure and design may be practiced within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A golf putting aid comprising an elongate rectangular strip of fiexible sheet material forming a flat instructional member adapted to be positioned over a substantially level supporting surface to present the top face thereof, said member having a dimple formed in the top face to recive a golf ball and hold the same against undesired movement, said dimple disposed remote from the ends of said member and midway between the side edges thereof, said top face being provided with straight spaced apart parallel linear upwardly extending projections to form References Cited track lines defining a ball track extending substantially ITED STATES PATENTS the length of such member, said track being of a Width UN substantially the same as the diameter of a regulation 2707x638 5/1955 Manley 273-195 golf hole, a putter blade reference mark provided on said 5 3,194,565 7/ 1965 schl'oer 273-486 top ftace ligposeld nlcirmil to satii pglracilel line; and id; FOREIGN PATENTS acen sai imp e w ere y apu er a e may e oca e in reference to said track and a ball positioned on said 930715 7/1963 Great Bntam' dimple, and measurement indices provided on the top face of said member to denote serially distances from said RICHARD PINKHAM Primary Examiner dimple toward opposite ends of said member. G. J. MARLO, Assistant Examiner. 

